Guatemala

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Overview | Culture | Sightseeing | History | Money Matters | Support | Map

Overview:

Covering 42,043 square miles, Guatemala is just smaller than the size of Tennessee. There are 32 volcanoes, some of which are active. Rich forests covering 40 percent of Guatemala, particularly in the northwest Petén region, are subject to rapid deforestation due in part to slash-and-burn agriculture and illegal logging. Deforestation has also put archaeological sites and wildlife at risk. Most people live on the slopes of the highlands or in the fertile, well-watered lowlands along the Pacific coast.

The eastern-central portion of the country is hot and dry. In the coastal lowlands, hot, humid weather prevails. The highlands are freezing at night, damp and chilly during the rainy season and warm and pleasant during their dry season (October to May), which is somewhat different from the rest of the country's December-to-April parched period. The average annual temperature in the capital, which is located on a plateau 4,800 feet above sea level, is 75°F. Rain is abundant from May to October. The Caribbean coast is wet year-round.

Culture:

People

Guatemalans are generous, warm, polite, and humble. They value honesty, family unity, personal honor, work, and education. Optimism is less common than the acceptance of misfortune. People often believe they are unable to change their condition, either for lack of empowerment or because some things are God's will. Personal criticism is taken seriously and should be avoided. Punctuality is admired but not strictly observed; people are considered more important than schedules. Guatemalans are gracious and strive to make any social interaction comfortable.

Family status and wealth are important to ladinos. Urban families generally live in nuclear family settings, although grandparents are often present. Unmarried adults live with their parents unless they must go elsewhere for work. Family members are expected to share responsibilities and be devoted to the unit. Adult children are responsible for the care of their elderly parents.

Ladino women often work as secretaries, teachers, nurses, or in other professions. Mayan women also work, but less often in the formal workplace. They may sell produce at markets, embroider or weave products for sale, or work in community groups. Within the home, women are responsible for the food, household, children, education, and religion. Men work in professional settings or in the fields or other physically demanding jobs. In poorer families, children must work as soon as they can help support the family.

Language

Spanish is Guatemala's official language, but each indigenous group speaks its own language. While most male indigenous Guatemalans speak some Spanish, indigenous women have fewer opportunities to learn Spanish as they do not often attend school and have less contact with Spanish speakers.

Religion

Roman Catholicism traditionally has dominated Guatemala, although many indigenous members combine it with Mayan beliefs. Some indigenous groups have not accepted Catholicism. Freedom of religion is guaranteed. While Catholicism influences most celebrations and habits, regardless of people's religious preference, devotion to the Catholic Church is declining. In the last 20 years, many have converted to Protestant and other Christian churches. About 45 percent of the people are now Protestants, known generally as evang´licos (evangelicals).

Customs

When meeting for the first time, people greet with a handshake and ¡Mucho gusto! (Pleased to meet you). Among acquaintances, the most common greetings are ¡Buenos días! (Good day), ¡Buenas tardes! (Good afternoon), and ¡Buenas noches! (Good evening). After an initial greeting, one might ask ¿Cómo está? (How are you?). Friends often greet with a casual ¡Buenas! or ¿Qué tal? (How's it going?). Shaking hands heartily is common in most areas. Among friends, men usually shake hands and sometimes embrace, and ladino women kiss each other on the cheek. A younger woman will kiss a male friend, but older women kiss only male relatives. Some older women greet by grasping the person just below each elbow.

In small groups, it is important to greet each individual. In larger groups, it is acceptable to offer a group greeting or simply greet as many persons as possible. When addressing others, using a title (Señor, Señora, Señorita, Doctor, etc.) shows respect. People show special respect for older individuals by using Don and Doña with the first name. Common parting phrases include Que le vaya bien (May you go well), Nos vemos (See you later), and Mas tarde (Later). Guatemalans generally begin all conversations, including telephone conversations, by exchanging pleasantries and asking about the health of family members.

Sightseeing:

Guatemala City

Guatemala City is the largest urban agglomeration in Central America. It sprawls across a range of flattened, ravine-scored mountains, covering an entire mountain plain and tumbling into the surrounding valleys. The Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología and Museo Nacional de Arte Moderno have great Mayan artifacts and 20th-century Guatemalan art.

Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología

This museum has the country's biggest collection of ancient Mayan artifacts, but explanatory information is very sparse. There's a great wealth of monumental stone sculpture, as well as rare wooden lintels from temples including those at Tikal and a room of beautiful jade necklaces and masks. The ethnology section has displays on the languages, costumes, dances, masks and homes of Guatemala's indigenous peoples.

Quetzaltenango

Quetzaltenango, more commonly called Xela ('shay-lah'), is an excellent base for excursions to the many nearby hot springs and handicrafts villages. The commercial hub prospered during the 19th century as a coffee-brokering and storage centre until an earthquake and volcanic eruption ended the boom. The town's major sights are the central square and the buildings which surround it, a couple of basic though useful markets and the ubiquitous Parque Minerva - built to honor the classical goddess of education in the hope of inspiring Guatemalan youth to new heights of learning.

Semuc Champey

Semuc Champey is famed for its great natural limestone bridge, on top of which is a stepped series of pools with cool, flowing river water good for swimming. Though this bit of paradise is difficult to reach, the beauty of its setting and the turquoise perfection of the pools make it arguably the loveliest spot in the country.

Tikal Ruins

The monumental Mayan ceremonial centre at Tikal lies in jungle northwest of Flores, in the department of El Petén. Towering pyramids rise above the jungle's green canopy, while down below howler monkeys swing noisily through the branches of ancient trees, colorful parrots squawk and dart, and tree frogs fill in the auditory gaps. The steep-sided temples rise to heights of almost 150 feet, and although the undergrowth around them has been cleared, the dense rainforest canopy is not far away, making passage within the enigmatic site an unforgettable experience. The many ruins include plazas, an acropolis, pyramids, temples and a museum.

History:

The Mayan Empire flourished in what is now Guatemala for more than one thousand years until it began to decline in the 1100s. As one of the chief centers of the Mayan culture, Guatemala abounds in archaeological ruins, notably the majestic ceremonial city of Tikal in the Petén region. From 1524 to 1821, the Spanish ruled Central America. After winning its independence in 1821, Guatemala was briefly annexed by Mexico and then became a member of the Central American Federation until the federation dissolved in 1838.

Military dictatorships controlled Guatemala until a 1944 revolution. From 1945 to 1982, leaders tried to cure some of Guatemala's social ills, but full democracy proved elusive. Violence was common, and rebels began a civil war in 1954 after an elected president (Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán) was overthrown by a U.S.-backed military coup. Coups and civil war made political stability seem impossible until 1984, when an elected assembly wrote a new constitution.

In 1986, Guatemala returned to civilian rule under Marco Vinicio Cerezo Arévalo. Cerezo withstood two military coups, but the military had strong ties to the country's principal landowners and wielded more control over some regions than civilian authorities. Because the military was primarily responsible for human-rights abuses, such control presented enormous problems for political and economic progress.

Elections in 1990 brought the first transfer of power from one elected official to another. President Jorge Serrano Elías began peace talks with the rebels in 1991. However, in 1993, Serrano staged a "self-coup" backed by the army. He announced emergency rule, dissolving Congress and the Supreme Court and suspending the constitution. As public protests mounted, the military withdrew its support, forcing Serrano to flee to Panama. Military leaders recalled Congress, which chose its ombudsman for human rights, Ramiro de León Carpio, to finish Serrano's term.

New negotiations began when President Alvaro Arzú Irigoyen took office in 1996. In December 1996, the two sides signed a series of agreements culminating in a UN-brokered peace accord. The accord ended Latin America's longest civil war — one that lasted 36 years and claimed more than 150,000 lives. The agreements address military downsizing, the reintegration of soldiers and rebels into society, indigenous people's rights, and socioeconomic and agrarian reforms.

Money Matters:

The Quetzal is extremely difficult to obtain outside Guatemala or exchange after leaving Guatemala, and visitors are strongly advised to exchange local currency before departure. It may be difficult to negotiate notes which are torn. The import and export of local currency is prohibited. The import and export of foreign currency is unlimited.

American Express and Visa are widely accepted, and ATMs are common throughout the country. Traveler's cheques are accepted by most banks and good hotels, although visitors may experience occasional problems. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised to take traveler's cheques in US dollars.

Support During Your Placement:

We will be available to give you any support, advice, or guidance you may need with any issues. There will always be an emergency number for you to contact. Our aim is to ensure that you have a happy and successful experience during your stay in Guatemala.